The Concordia Stingers clinched first place in the Quebec university men's basketball conference with an 89-85 win over the Bishop's Gaiters before a capacity crowd at Concordia gym on Saturday night.
Fourth-year guard Decee Krah led all scorers in the game with 20 points, including four three-pointers. Four other Stingers were in double figures: Zach Brisebois with 17 points, Kyle Demarais with 16 points, Evens Laroche with 12 points and 10 rebounds for the double-double, and James Clark with 10 points.
The top scorer for Bishop’s was Onnex Blackwood with 18 points.
The victory gave the Stingers a 12-4 win-loss record and locked up the top spot in the Quebec league. It is the fifth time in the last 10 years that Concordia has won the regular season title.
Last season, the Stingers finished fifth in the five-team league and missed the playoffs.
“It feels good to go from last to first,” said Krah. “But we’re not satisfied.”
Concordia will host the UQAM Citadins in a sudden-death semifinal game on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Citadins finished in fourth place. In the other semifinal game, the third-place McGill Redmen will travel to Quebec City to face the second-place Laval Rouge et Or.
The Quebec championship will be held Friday night.
On the women’s side, the Stingers finished in third place and will cross town to meet the second-place Citadins in a semifinal game at UQAM on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
